Teardrop (Teardrop, #1) by Lauren Kate

Title: Teardrop (Teardrop Trilogy)
Series: Teardrop Trilogy
Classification: Young Adult (12 and up)
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Hardcover; 464 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press (October 22, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0385742657
ISBN-13: 978-0385742658
Author's Website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/
Notes: Received an ARC at BEA.

Ander comes from a long line of Seedbearers that can trace their family ancestry back to Atlantis. They tend to blend in to the background unless they wish to be noticed, and until recently, he'd never wished to. After years of watching Eureka Boudreaux, his fellow Seedbearers have determined she is the girl who could bring about the beginning of the end of the world and instead of taking a chance to see what she'll do, they've decided she must be eliminated like countless others over the centuries. Ander has been promised once the deed is complete he will finally be able to lead a normal life. Something he's never been able to do. There's only one problem, Ander has fallen in love with Eureka even though the two have never met. Now he needs to make a choice...

Save the world or save the girl.

This was the first book in the new Teardrop series and quite interesting. Ms. Kate shied away from info dumping and gradually introduces us to the world she's created. While we get a fair glimpse of what has happened in the past, thereby making us understand what we see in the present, there is a lot that goes uncovered and unanswered. For example, while Ms. Kate gives us some background on what a seedbearer is, we don't get the whole picture. Why are they called seedbearers? How did they become displaced from Atlantis? I was a tad bit curious. Plus, there was a mysterious object/relic which was used but wasn't readily explained. While these things perplexed me, being as this is the first in a series, I have no doubt they will be explained later in the series and didn't cause me to ponder what was going on as some of the other new series I've read recently had. I rather look forward to finding out the answers.

Ander and Eureka appear to be two star crossed lovers who are not meant to be. Subtle insinuations suggests there may be more to this couple than this first book reveals. Hopefully, in the coming sequels, we'll find out more and see if my theory is correct. Our first real look at Eureka is not a very happy one. It's just a little over four months since she survived a freak oceanic phenomena that killed her mother when a giant wave swept their car from a bridge. Eureka suffered some hearing loss and broken wrists but the loss of her mother, whom she was very close to, undoes her. She's had suicidal tendency and has lost interest in the things that once gave her joy. She's suffering from survivor's remorse--feeling guilty for surviving when her mother did not. She feels lost and the way her father and stepmother are treating her doesn't help even though their intentions are good.

Ander has never lived a normal life. Never attended school. Never really socialized with other children. He and everyone he knows have been focused on studying Eureka. He's gotten to know her over the years and gets her. If the curse proves to be true, she could literally flood the world with her tears. Ander will have to pick between Eureka and his family. He'll have to decide if all he's been told is true, and decide if the girl he's come to know and love is worth the risking everything on the chance that she might not bring the end that's been predicted.

The song that kept dancing through my head as I read this was Absolutely (Story of a Girl) by Nine Days. I can't help but wonder if it was these lyrics which inspired Ms. Kate to create such unique character. They seem to fit so perfectly:
'This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
When she smiles'

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. A very original concept and lore created around an oldie, but goodie--The Lost City of Atlantis. I enjoyed the mixing of the old with the new and I felt Ms. Kate has begun some wonderful world building, setting a nice foundation for the next book. I'm optimistic she's going to blow us away in the next book as she expands upon it. I always love it when an author creates their own legend, lore, or curses for their stories. My only complaint is that I wish the story within the main story hadn't been quite so broken up in the telling. I kept having to go back and reread the previous parts because I kept feeling as though I'd missed something. Regardless, I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see where the author will take us and her characters in the next book, but I'm predicting it will be good.